Yelawolf, Hillbilly Casino, DJ Klever

When: Tue., June 2, 8 p.m. 2015

Like the fifth game of an NBA playoff series knotted at two games apiece, Yelawolf's new album Love Story feels like a pivotal moment for the Alabama MC. With a brooding persona and blistering flow, Yelawolf appeared on the rap scene in 2010 with an excellent mixtape, Trunk Muzik, which paired thunderous beats and tongue-twisting rhymes with his Southern drawl and shadowy backwoods tales. But his highly anticipated major label debut, 2011's Radioactive, fell flat, both critically and commercially. Now all eyes are on the new record, which finds Yela building on mostly guitar-driven samples and sprinkling melodic, sung choruses among his eye-popping raps. Only time will tell if Love Story is enough to put Yelawolf's career back on the right track. Let's hope it does; the guy is supernaturally skilled.